St. Paul daily globe., 1887-08-13
THE SIOUX RESERVATION
Commissioner Atkins FOrthcOm-
ing Report Will Take More Ad-
Vanced Ground in Favor of Its
OpeninS.

Commissioner Atkins FOrthcOm-
ing Report Will Take More Adj
vanced Ground in Favor of Its
. Opening.
Special to the Globe.
WASHINGTON, Aug. 11.-Endeavors
to-anticipate the report of the commits
sioner of Indian affairs, concerning the
Sioux reservation, are met with all of
the barriers of official secrecy. 1t is
pretty well understood that Gen. At
kins will take more advanced ground
upon the subject of the opening of
the reservation than has hitherto
dome. In lls latest report, that for 1886,
he refers 70 the Dawes bill as one
"whose m xn features meet with his
approval; md he then more strongly
adds: Il Earnestly hope that this bill
will become a law" Commissioner At
kinS will not only make strong recon-
mendations i'll his annual report. but
will personally endeavor to induce the
secretary of the interior to
elnbody his views in his an
moreover, he will undertake to influence
the president to mention the matter ia
vOrably i'll his message to congress. 1t
will be remembered that the preSi-
dent last year strongly recommended
the passage of a seyeralty bill, and it
was in accordance with his rec0mmen-
datiOn in that message that congress
enacted the bill which is being enforced.
In recent interview with the commits
siOner, published in the GLOBE, that Of
fetal expressed the belief that the alOt-
ment of lands in Severalty to the Sioux
could not be made for some time to
come, because of the fact that other
reservations and tribes have precedence
and can be attended to more readily. 1t
is now believed that the commissioner
might have added, if he had deemed it
prudent, that he will not send agents to
allot the Sioux lands because he has
hopes of the passage of bill similar to
the Dawes bill, which will rem
der allotment under the present
law unnecessary for that tribe.
One thing is established, and that is
that the Bible and other books in the
Dakota language. and in the languages
of other tribes, will be withdrawn from
the Indian school system and English
be taught When the correspondent re-
ferred to the worthless IndianSaS stand
ing in the way of civilization, Commits
siOner UpShaw said:
''ThiS office cannot SympathiZe W}tl
such views. 1t is our duty to a3t 81.
guardians of the Indians, and we n:ist
protect them from unnecessary harsh
ness of treatment: and they cannot be
pushed out of the way without rega;d
to their rights"
''But, general, they have too muc:l,
land now. They have thousands of
acres that they never use nor never will
USE"
"That is true. sir. but they once had
millions of acres. The land was theirs,
and because they have been forced into
comparatively narrow limits there pre-
walls an idea that they have no right to
any land at all. That is mistaken idea,
and it is the duty of this Office to enforce
the principle that the Indians have
rights, and we must protect them in
those rights. Besides, if they are driven
away from their present reservation
they will have to be sent elsewhere, and
white men will again ask for their re-
mOval until there is not foot OF ground
for them to stand upon. AS long as they
could do so they stood up and fought IN
their barbarOus manner for the defense
of their lands. 1t is only fair and human
now that the government should protect
them in what grounds are left to them"
''But, general, will those Indians be
dllONCo W OtdLu III liAC NoJ VI Slfih6SU
prOgress?"
'Not, probably, when there is no
other way for civilization to advance.
But it is not the policy of this office to
encourage the idea that the Indians
have no rights. That is the point |
want to state. l do not say that would
oppose an equitable provision for them
elSewhere-nOr do / believe that Com
missioner Atkins would do sO-but
always object to the impatient express
sions of those who see no good in the
Indians and no rights of theirs which
we are bound to respect. 1t is our duty
to carefully guard such rights as are
left to them; and this Office always does
so, and under all circumstances"
A Point for Publishers.
Special to the Globe.
WASHINGTON, Aug. 12. Several
ooOd uewSnanerS in Dakota are breed